A Captain and his Commander
by suzieloublog
Summary: Years later at the going away party for the upcoming mission of the starship, Eureka, two young officers get advice from two beloved individuals who know their situation all too well.
1. Chapter 1

**A Captain and His Commander: Chapter One  
**

**Author's Note: **

**This is my first work of fanfiction, please be gentle and I hope you enjoy the story. This fic was requested indirectly by im-an-owl-i-will-hoot post/66283559295/j-c-shippy-rant-maybe-i-should-lo ok-into. Hope you enjoy it! This story takes place at a formal get together for the upcoming mission for the starship, Eureka.  
**

**Disclaimer: ****The Voyager Crew Does Not Belong to Me**

**Chapter One: **

A young commander enters the ballroom in her crisp white Starfleet dress uniform. She was filled with excitement and anticipation as the day grew closer and closer to the day that she would be boarding the new starship, Eureka. She had laughed at the name at first, but after some thought she quickly realized that it was the perfect name for their ship. For it was their mission, to "discover" all that the delta quadrant had to offer to the future of the Federation.

She liked when she had said "their" ship, for she was the first in command to Captain Owen Parris. The two of them had known each other since childhood and had quickly formed a bond. Their parents had served together for many years and they were practically family. She couldn't quite remember when her feelings of friendship had decided to take a turn for something more serious. Maybe it was his strong stubborn leadership style and his ability to solve almost any problem. Or maybe it was his carefree flyboy attitude that could be seen but only to those who were closes to him. Either way she knew that she yearned for something more than just friendship.

Little did she know that Captain Owen Parris felt the exact same way that she did about him. How could he not. Kiernan was a stunningly beautiful as she was brave. She had long flowing red hair that fell about her shoulders when she wore it down. But tonight she wore it in a high military bun just like her mother had taught her. He remembered her growing up, a tall lanky thing, always messing up her dresses and scraping her knees. She could keep up and do anything that any of the boys could do. She was full of life and sassy to beat the band. She had a love for all things, especially the world around her. So many qualities she had received from her parents. Owen remembered going over for dinners as a young ensign after he and Kiernan had just finished the academy. Dinner was replicated of course since Kiernan's parents were both, as they liked to put it, "replicator people." But he so enjoyed hearing about their life together, what his parents were like when they first met, and most of all he loved hearing about Kiernan as a child and just how much her parents loved and treasured her. For him that was the moment that he fell in love with her. He knew right then and there that he would love her just as much as her parents, maybe more, or he would die trying. Tonight was going to be a night neither one of them would forget.

While Owen was waiting with such anticipation and joy to see his love, Tonight, Kiernan knew that she would have to face the fact that given their new roles and circumstances that they could not be together. For a captain's duty first and for most it to take care of the ship and his crew. There would not be any place or time for them to act upon their feelings.

Kiernan looked around the room with anticipation and an awful pang of sadness in her gut. It was then when she saw Owen that all of her feelings melted away and she put aside her anxieties for a moment. But what happened next she never saw coming.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

_**"Commander you look breathtaking!"**_

_**"Oh don't be silly Captain, we are in our dress uniforms we all look exactly alike, well minus some of us have a few more pips than others."**_

Then Owen took Kiernan by both hands looked into her eyes and said, _**"Commander, words cannot express just how much respect you and your unfailing leadership and courage. Soon we will be standing side by side guiding Eureka into the delta quadrant. I know that I will be able to face anything we might run into with you by my side. However the delta quadrant is fraught will peril and we live knowing that our next day might be our last. So with that being said, Kiernan I have loved you from the first moment I saw you. Your presence in my life has brought me joy that I never thought I could ever experience. I not only want you to be standing beside me on the bridge of our ship. But I when I look to see who is on my side I want you to be the one standing there for the rest of our lives, Kiernan will you marry me?"**_

The crowd gasped! She did not know what to say. She wanted so much to say yes but felt like it wouldn't be right. She was a Starfleet brat after all and protocol was engrained in her DNA. She wanted to scream yes I will marry you but the words wouldn't form. All she could muster was,**"I'm sorry!"** and then she ran off.

Kiernan ran outside to catch some fresh air. She needed to clear her head. **_ "What was he thinking?"_****_"They weren't even in a relationship?"_** She was beginning to think she might need to put in a call to her godfather Joe, who was one of the best doctors around to come and have Owen's head examined. She began to cry. How was she going to be able to face him now, let alone all of her crew was there tonight along with all of the big wigs from Starfleet. In the midst of her sobs, a soft gentle hand wrapped around her shoulder. When she looked up she was staring in to the warm and sympathetic eyes of her mother.

That very second she snapped to attention, _**"Admiral Janeway, forgive me ma'am I shouldn't have ran out like that!" **_

_**"Its mother to you commander." "I don't care if we are at a Starfleet function or not, you are my daughter and you need me more now than ever."**_

Kiernan looked at her mother inquisitively. _**"What would she know about any of this?"**_

Before she knew it she had voiced her internal thoughts out loud.

Kathryn looked at her daughter and smiled. _**"Oh my love, I was in your shoes once, I was just as suborned and bullheaded, you got a triple dose of that from me, your father, and your grandfather." **_

Kiernan and Kathryn laughed in agreement.

_**"When I first met your father it was love at first sight." "Oh don't worry we butted heads for sure, but after a while I grew to respect your father and I yearned for his guidance and company. But I quickly learned that my place was at the helm and while your father's place was at my side it was in a position of command and nothing more." **_

_**"So, what happened?"**_ asked Kiernan.

_**"Well we were close to getting home. After seven long years, almost losing each other along the way. I had noticed that your dad and Seven of Nine had begun to spend lots of time together."**_

_**"The Borg Woman?"**_ Kiernan said almost in a shout.

_**"Yes dear, Seven." **_

**"When we returned home I looked forward to being out of command for a long time and then possibly taking the greatest exploration of my life."**

_**"What was that?"**_, Kiernan asked.

_**"To see if I still had a chance with your Father."**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Owen, embarrassed and defeated, sat in the corner of the room. How would he face his crew and everyone else in Starfleet ever again? While he was contemplating this predicament a voice called his name.

"**_Owen, come on Captain, let's have a talk Captain to Captain."_**

The two men began their walk, which ended up being a journey into the past.

"**_When I first met Kiernan's mother, I was completely wrapped around her finger. I had never seen such a beautiful woman. She was as beautiful as she was brave. "_**

**_"We had a hard time getting along at first but then we quickly became each other's closest companion. I would look forward to our candlelight dinners, often wondering what replicated "delight" she would whip up next." _**

Owen and the Captain laughed

**_"You can't give up hope my boy and I will tell you why, let's keep walking."_**

**_"Thank you Captain, Chakotay. I appreciate this more than you know."_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

**_"I quickly learned that I was to be her commander and nothing more. Because of this I waited for the day that I thought she would call me into her ready room for just more than the next mission. But it never happened. So I began seeing Seven or Annika as I finally started calling her. When I would see Kathryn at the academy, where we both started teaching after we returned, I could tell that my involvement with Annika hurt her terribly. It was then that I knew I couldn't live in this charade any longer. I immediately broke things off with Annika and went after Kathryn. Oh how she tried to push me way to try and protect that stubborn self of hers, but eventually she gave in and I became the happiest man in the quadrant. So you can see why Kiernan is so reluctant. "_**

**_"Her mother is talking to her right now. Let's go find them and figure this whole thing out."_**

Chakotay and Owen found themselves on the terrace with Kathryn and Kiernan and Kathryn rose to meet them.

**_"We know the two of you love each other very much,"_** Kathryn began.

**_"And believe you me no one understands the situation that you have found yourselves in than me and your father."_**

**_"All those years wasted because of protocol, we missed out on so many moments together, but through all that my life was forever changed the day I finally decided to set my stubborn mind aside and give in to your father's requests."_**

**_"I want you to know that happiness, Kiernan. From the day I first held you in my arms and looked up at your father with such love and joy, knowing that our love had created something so precious. I promised myself that day that you would know that happiness and I won't let you let this opportunity pass you by."_**

**_"You have to realize that you only have one life, and where you are going you'll face death every single day. You never know if your next day could be your last."_**

**_"So I am telling you this as a mother, as a friend, and as your Admiral."_** Kathryn paused momentarily and looked at Chakotay in the same way she had looked at him in all those years lost in the delta quadrant then said.

**_"To hell with protocol, that is an order!"_**

Owen and Kiernan both stood at attention and at the same and said, **_"Yes Ma'am!"_**

They all laughed.

Kiernan then accepted Owen's proposal and they walked into the ballroom greeted by the applause of their fellow officers.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Chakotay and Kathryn stayed on the terrace admiring the view and complementing themselves on a job well done.

It was then that Chakotay took Kathryn in his arms and Kathryn spoke first and said**_, "You know I have known you for 35 years now, we have been through so much together. But you know what, like I told you back in the delta quadrant, and at the time we had known each other for 3 years when I said, "Three years ago I didn't even know your name. And now I could not imagine a day without you."_**

**_"I remember!",_** Chakotay said. **_"I still mean that more than ever!",_** said Kathryn.

**_"All those days and nights on New Earth all I wanted was you to hold me and to tell me that I was yours and you were mine."_** , Kathryn said.

**_"Oh my captain, my captain, now is not the time to think about what didn't happen but what is to come."_**

**_"How did I get so lucky and end up with such an optimist?"_** Kathryn asked

**_"Oh I am not an optimist, Kathryn. I am a realist!"_** said Chakotay said.

Kathryn laughed, **_"Now where did you learn to be like that?"_**

Chakotay returned the laughter and said, **_"Oh from a brave, beautiful, and wise woman warrior!"_**

**_"Oh really, well I hope she taught you other things as well,"_** Kathryn said with her oh so sassy Janeway smirk.

**_"Yes she did, this Angry Warrior is finally at peace."_**

**_"Oh I love you Chakotay." "I love you Kathryn."_**

And with that the commander took his hand and gently placed it on his captain's chin and pulled her in for a kiss.

**_"Now Admiral, let's start briefing for our next big mission.",_** said Chakotay.

**_"Oh and what would that be Captain?"_**, asked Kathryn

**_"Becoming Grandparents!"_**

**THE END!**

**Thank you for reading let me know what you think and if you want to try more stories. I am open for prompts! THANKS!**


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